overlook 1 of 2

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as in to dominate
to look down on the fortress overlooks the city

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in to possess
to cast a spell on the superstitious grandmother actually believed that the baby had been overlooked by a gypsy woman

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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overlook

2 of 2

noun

as in lookout
a high place or structure from which a wide view is possible just down the road there's a great overlook where you can get a panoramic view of the valley below

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word overlook distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of overlook are disregard, forget, ignore, neglect, and slight. While all these words mean "to pass over without giving due attention," overlook suggests disregarding or ignoring through haste or lack of care.

in my rush I overlooked a key example

When would disregard be a good substitute for overlook?

While in some cases nearly identical to overlook, disregard suggests voluntary inattention.

disregarded the wishes of his family

When is it sensible to use forget instead of overlook?

While the synonyms forget and overlook are close in meaning, forget may suggest either a willful ignoring or a failure to impress something on one's mind.

forget what others say

Where would ignore be a reasonable alternative to overlook?

The words ignore and overlook can be used in similar contexts, but ignore implies a failure to regard something obvious.

ignored the snide remark

When is neglect a more appropriate choice than overlook?

The words neglect and overlook are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, neglect implies giving insufficient attention to something that merits one's attention.

habitually neglected his studies

When can slight be used instead of overlook?

In some situations, the words slight and overlook are roughly equivalent. However, slight implies contemptuous or disdainful disregarding or omitting.

slighted several major authors in her survey

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of overlook
Verb
And as ownership, the front office and the coaching staff deliberate, don’t overlook the sizzle that picking Sanders would bring to this franchise, market and fan base. Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 22 Apr. 2025 This mood is especially pronounced in the living room, where a ficus tree in the center of the room overlooks a low-lying Roche Bobois Missoni Mah Jong sectional, pillows and ottomans. Lisa Boone, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2025
Noun
From the elevated overlook, visitors have an incredible view of a bare panorama that holds the remains of many extinct species dating back 5 million years. Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Mar. 2025 Visitors can also enjoy the scenery from overlooks at the Interpretive Center and the Wallenda Towers, which are platforms that were used by famed tightrope walker Karl Wallenda to cross the gorge in 1970. Casey Barber, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for overlook
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overlook
Verb
  • While their presence pushes younger competitors to work even harder for wins, bigger racing teams just have elite equipment that can easily allow one car to dominate, the owner explained on the Dale Jr. Download podcast.
    Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 19 Apr. 2025
  • His interest in witchcraft came to dominate his later writing.
    Angelica Frey, JSTOR Daily, 18 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Yet in a nation where 42 percent of adults live with obesity—a rate that has nearly doubled since the 1980s—the arrival of a drug that actually works was hard to ignore.
    Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Apr. 2025
  • The Murrow perspective allows Clooney and Heslov to ignore the actual Communist contamination of both the media and the government.
    Armond White, National Review, 30 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • But, because the government would need time to craft new rules and infrastructure, the court would temporarily supervise the detention of minors.
    Jack Herrera, New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2025
  • Holmes argues the church failed to supervise Lorch and, worse yet, retained him, thus enabling Lorch to allegedly inflict even more harms.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 22 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • That expectation of secrecy continues indefinitely, with only the pope himself possessing the authority to make exceptions.
    Christopher Watson, ABC News, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Both India and Pakistan possess nuclear weapons, and any military escalation could lead to catastrophic consequences.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • One significant section of the Lower Mississippi River Comprehensive Management Study will examine the best long-term solutions to the saltwater intrusion phenomenon.
    Kati Weis, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2025
  • With information about each respondent, researchers can examine in more detail the sources and causes of these changes.
    William Dunkelberg, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Clear communication with borrowers One can forgive borrowers for being confused in this moment.
    Preston Cooper, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Indeed, you could be forgiven for growing slightly cynical of the big pledges, glossy roadmaps, endless subsidy schemes, and constant climate conferences.
    Antoine Rostand, Time, 21 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The two brands managed just 917,598 sales in 2024, versus 1,343,959 in 2019, according to S&P Global Mobility.
    Mark Phelan, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Most whooping cough symptoms can be managed at home, according to the CDC.
    Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 24 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • At its heart stands the Monsaraz Castle, once a strategic fortress, now a stunning lookout point.
    Monica Mendal, Vogue, 18 Apr. 2025
  • In addition to tourist information booths, these stamps are also available at major tourist attractions like temples and lookout points, plus each JR Railway train station.
    Lilit Marcus, CNN Money, 13 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Overlook.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overlook. Accessed 3 May. 2025.

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